Co-captain Luke
Steckel ’07 is one of the four new starting linebackers.

Photos by Beverly
Schaefer

Something
to proveFootball’s title hopes hinge on new starters

For three seasons, linebacker Luke Steckel ’07 has been part of
Princeton football’s supporting cast, practicing, lifting weights,
and watching game films with relatively little to show for the work —
six tackles in eight games played. His highlight last season came on special
teams when he recovered a blocked extra point against Penn. But even in
that moment, the spotlight shifted away as he pitched the ball to Jay
McCareins ’06, who raced to the opposite end zone for two points.

While Princeton’s defense led the Ivy League, allowing just over
16 points per game, Steckel’s opportunities to contribute on Saturdays
were limited. “I’m a competitor,” Steckel said. “I
always want to play, so it was frustrating at times. But the opportunity
to learn from linebacker classes like the ones from the last two years
was such a valuable experience. ... I wouldn’t trade those experiences
for anything because they really showed me what it means to be a linebacker
at Princeton.”

This year, as Steckel moves into the starting lineup, he will have to
be more than just a linebacker. His peers elected him co-captain, designating
him to lead a defense with five other new starters. “We all feel
like we have something to prove,” Steckel said.

The Tigers, as a team, have something to prove as well. Despite tying
for second place in the Ivy standings last year with a 7–3 record,
Princeton was listed in the second tier of this season’s media poll,
ranked sixth, ahead of also-rans Dartmouth and Columbia.

“I’ve talked to our team about earning respect,” head
coach Roger Hughes said at the team’s media day Sept. 1, “and
the way you do that is by going out and making the plays to earn respect.
We need to make sure that we do the same things we did last year.”

If preseason forecasts hold true, this Ivy season could be defined by
parity. Four teams — Harvard, Penn, Brown, and Yale — received
first-place votes in the media poll. Harvard, with running back Clifton
Dawson eyeing his fourth 1,000-yard season, has emerged as the Ivy favorite.
Penn and Yale each return significant numbers of starters, and Brown,
despite losing running back Nick Hartigan, has enough talent to remain
promising. Cornell, which won its last three games to finish 6–4
last year, could be a contender as well. The Big Red is led by a veteran
offensive line — typically a harbinger of success in the league
— with an all-Ivy tailback, Luke Siwula, to run behind it.

Hughes agreed that the Ivy title chase is wide open and said that the
Tigers plan to be part of it. Princeton has some strengths of its own,
beginning with the offense’s co-captain, Jeff Terrell ’07,
a resourceful, mobile, and durable quarterback who threw for 172 yards
per game last year and completed nearly 55 percent of his passes. Behind
Terrell, the Tigers’ backfield returns a solid duo in running backs
Rob Toresco ’08 and Cleo Kirkland ’07. Neither has breakaway
speed, but the two runners combined for more than 1,000 yards on the ground
last year. Toresco, the fullback, carried a tailback’s share of
the load, gaining 611 yards and catching 28 passes as well.

At wide receiver, Brendan Circle ’06 should be a top target, along
with Brian Brigham ’07 and Brian Shields ’07. Sophomore receivers
Will Thanheiser and Adam Berry also figure to play a role in the offense,
particularly on deep routes.

Hughes wants the offense to control the ball and avoid turnovers that
would put added pressure on an inexperienced defense. To achieve those
goals, the Tigers will need fast improvement from an offensive line that
has five new starters, including a former tight end at tackle (Brendan
Swisher ’08) and a former defensive lineman at center (Brett Barrie
’07). Hughes spent the preseason adding rollout and play-action
pass plays to take some pressure off the linemen, at least in the season’s
early games.

On defense, returning starters include nose tackle Jake Marshall ’07,
cornerback J.J. Artis ’07, and strong safety Tim Strickland ’07,
who has started every game in his college career. Strickland emerged as
a star late last season when he intercepted four passes in the final four
games.

At least six players are likely to see time at linebacker — Steckel,
Brig Walker ’07, Jon Stem ’08, Doori Song ’08, Tim Boardman
’08, and Scott Britton ’10. In addition to rotating linebackers,
defensive coordinator Steve Verbit plans to use more substitutes in the
defensive backfield, adjusting personnel to respond to game situations
and keep players fresh. “You’ll see guys running on and off
the field this year,” Verbit joked. “It’s going to look
like a track meet, [with] guys handing off batons to one another.”

The relay should be reaching full stride by the time the Tigers open
their Ivy season at Columbia Sept. 30, and Steckel is excited to be part
of it. “We know that there’s a lot of work to be done before
we can compete for an Ivy League championship,” the co-captain said,
“but that’s the goal. That’s what we’re working
toward. Hopefully, by the end of the season, we’re in the thick
of things.”

Backup quarterbacks BILL FORAN ’08 and KENNY
GUNTER ’10 could play valuable roles on special teams,
according to head coach Roger Hughes. Gunter blocked a punt in the Tigers’
preseason scrimmage against Yale, and Foran was effective as a kick returner
and a defender on kickoffs. Foran, a Princeton track standout who has
run the 100-yard dash in 10.67 seconds, is the football team’s fastest
player.

All-Ivy punter COLIN McDONOUGH ’07 will return
to his starting role, and CONNER LOUDEN ’09 likely
will be the Tigers’ placekicker. Louden has the range to split the
uprights from 45 yards out, but he will be hard-pressed to match the accuracy
of his predecessor, Derek Javarone ’06, who converted 16 field goals
on 18 attempts in 2005.

Strong safety TIM STRICKLAND ’07 said that the
Princeton defense has plenty of athleticism, but to match last season’s
success, players will need to communicate and concentrate on being in
position on every play. “Your athleticism can make up for being
in the wrong place sometimes,” Strickland said, “but if you’re
in the right place, that will make [the defense] more consistent.”

With few experienced upperclassmen on the offensive line, freshmen
MARK PASKI and J.P. MAKRAI could challenge for
starting positions, according to offensive coordinator Dave Rackovan.

Quarterback JEFF TERRELL ’07 said he would be
looking for redemption when the Tigers travel to New Haven Nov. 11. After
throwing two touchdowns to put Princeton on top against Yale last year,
Terrell tossed five interceptions, allowing the Bulldogs to start the
comeback that led to a 21–14 victory. According to Hughes, the Yale
game has been on the minds of many returning players. “They’re
still upset about it,” he said. “And hopefully, that’s
been a driving force in how they worked this summer and what they’re
going to do this season.”

Former MEN’S BASKETBALL standout Mason Rocca ’00,
center, scored a team-high 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Italy
in the round of 16 at the FIBA World Championships in Saitama, Japan,
Aug. 26. The Italians lost to Lithuania, 71–68. Rocca, who stars
for Carpisa Napoli in Italy’s top professional league, averaged
six points and five rebounds in six tournament games.

Two teammates from the WOMEN’S CREW national
champion varsity eight faced off as opponents at the 2006 World Rowing
Championships in Eton, England, Aug. 27. Caroline Lind ’06 won gold
with the U.S. women’s eight, while Adrienne Morin ’06 and
the Canadian crew placed fifth. MEN’S CREW alumnus
Steve Coppola ’06 earned a bronze medal with the U.S. men’s
eight. Two other alumni reached their event finals: Lia Pernell ’03
of the U.S. women’s four (sixth place), and Jesse Karmazin ’07
of the U.S. adaptive four with coxswain (fifth place).

MEN’S LACROSSE alumni Ryan Boyle ’04, Christian
Cook ’98, Matt Striebel ’01, and Trevor Tierney ’01
helped the U.S. national team to a 5–0 record in round-robin play
at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships in London, Ontario, but the Americans
fell to host Canada in the tournament final July 22.

MEN’S GOLF alumnus Jason Gerken ’06 shot
rounds of 81 and 73 at the U.S. Amateur in Chaska, Minn., Aug. 21 and
22, but did not qualify for the match-play draw.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Dennis Norman ’01 was the
lone Princeton FOOTBALL alumnus to earn an NFL roster
spot at the start of the season. Zak Keasey ’05 joined the San Francisco
49ers’ practice squad, and Jon Dekker ’06 will be a practice
player for the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.